


Living Corpse

by Kacchan_FightMeIDareYouCowards



Category: BnHA, My Hero Academia, mha
Genre: Abused Midoriya Izuku, Forced Villain Midoriya Izuku, Kidnapped Bakugou Katsuki, Kidnapped Midoriya Izuku, Kidnapped Shinsou Hitoshi, Kidnapped Todoroki Shouto, M/M, Other, Vigilante Bakugou Katsuki, Vigilante Midoriya Izuku, Villain Bakugou Katsuki
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:41:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28332552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kacchan_FightMeIDareYouCowards/pseuds/Kacchan_FightMeIDareYouCowards
Summary: It started at the age when quirks develop. Doesn't it always?It ends with a fire in the Bakugo household, Izuku and Katsuki too young to do anything but watch.Taken by All for One and Inko, they are conditioned -tortured- into become the best villains the world has ever seen.Come yell at me on discord! https://discord.gg/Vg7YygEvBut what about their own lives outside the League? Joining UA? Their secrete desire to become the good guys?And when two more students are captured for their perfect quirks? What will the group do?
Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku, Dabi/Takami Keigo | Hawks, Erasermic - Relationship, dabihawks
Comments: 18
Kudos: 94





	1. False Hope, Dreams Broke

**Author's Note:**

> This is a brand new story I’m working on so stay with me!!! Hope you enjoy ;)

Izuku and Katsuki watched as the house burned in front of them. Their eyes were wide as they trembled and clung on to each other tightly. The two five year olds could still hear Katsuki's parents screams. Tears dropped down both of their faces, while Katsuki full on sobbed, body racking with the force. Izuku pushed Katsuki's head into his shoulder so it faced the opposite direction. He wouldn't let Katsuki watch his whole life disappear, though he wished he could turn away to. Izuku found he couldn't get himself to move, trapped in place. 

A scream escaped Katsuki as the house slowly started to crumble in on itself. He couldn't see anything due to Izuku not letting him but he could hear the crashing sounds coming from the burning house. Those sounds would haunt them both for the rest of their lives. 

When Inko decided she had gotten bored enough, she placed a hand tightly around the two boys shoulders, roughly dragging them away and into a nearby portal, followed by a tall, intimidating and overpowering man. Hisashi Midoriya. 

Kurogiri met them with a respectful nod on the other side of the portal. "How'd it go?"

Katsuki collapsed to the ground in heart wrenching-to-anyone-with-a-heart sobs. Izuku pushed himself onto the ground to hold Katsuki tightly, reassuringly, that he was not gonna to be going anywhere. He would always remain by Katsuki's side, no matter what. That didn't stop the absolute horror from sticking to Izuku's face as the burning house repeated in his eyes, Katsuki's parents screams echoing in his ears. Sounds beyond that of a absolute nightmare. 

***

It had been nine years since that day, and at the moment, Izuku knew he had fucked up. He had got too caught up in dodging Mountain Lady's giant feet to notice Kamui Woods sending wooden shards hurling his way that would've hit him dead-on had Katsuki not shoved Izuku out of the way at the last possible minute, sending them flying just above their heads and straight into Mountain Lady's legs. Her scream collided with Kamui Woods own shout of horror. 

"Keep an eye out, stupid nerd!" Katsuki hissed into Izuku's ear before the two jumped up. 

The two vigilantes were ready this time as Mountain Lady redoubled her attack but not without the winced of pain that followed as the wooden shards shifted and let blood drip down her costume. 

Izuku adjusted his bone face gear, twisting the mask back into place. Along with that mask, he had on a orange onesie that matched Katsuki's green one. Katsuki had bunny ears while Izuku's contained grenades decorating the outfit, mocking each others names. Each had hoods that covered their faces and matching bone masks where sharp teeth protruded and covered majority of their faces. A dead giveaway that the two were partners, possibly more. There were a lot of theories about the possibility of them being siblings or lovers. They were close, but no one would ever in a thousand years guess the truth. 

Katsuki let out a hiss of pain as Mountain Lady successfully knocked him into the side of a building. This time it was Izuku who yanked Katsuki out of the way to avoid Mountain Lady's badly aimed kick. It would've missed either way, instead hitting the building behind them and causing it to crack and start to crumble. Izuku and Katsuki jumped out of the way to avoid being hit by a giant piece of the building. 

"And they say we cause the damage," Izuku spat. 

"It was you two who brought us out here into this fight, so therefore the damage is a result of your actions!" Mountain Lady argued, mentally saving that reasoning for her later damage report. 

Izuku rolled his eyes and swung back at Mountain Lady, channeling his quirk into his arms and forcing the strength to multiply as he landed a solid kick at her kneecaps. Mountain Lady buckled, shrieking in surprise and pain. She'd never thought such a little squirt could've been capable of such damage. 

Behind him an explosion lit up the street way as Katsuki blew up the branches extending from Kamui Woods. 

Izuku's phone started to ring. 

He held up a finger at Mountain Lady making her pause in surprise before Izuku answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Get your asses to school," Shigaraki growled. "If I get one more call saying your late-,"

Izuku winced and nodded at Katsuki. "Sorry, chapstick. We'll be there in ten."

"Make it five," his voice responded before hanging up the phone. 

"Alright." Izuku clapped his hands trying to fight the oncoming panic that filled his stomach. "Sorry to cut this short, but we have to get going. Nice fightin' with ya!" 

Katsuki took the signal to create a Smokey explosion, a special move that Izuku and him had spent years perfecting. Smoke started filling into the clearing. Normally Mountain Lady would've easily been able to sweep it away -the one con to fighting her- but her legs ached too badly for her to think clearly, allowing Izuku and Katsuki a clean getaway. 

The two laughed and Katsuki gave Izuku a light shove as they quickly slipped out of their costumes and into their school uniforms, yanking their school backpacks from the weak hiding spots the two had shoved them into. The fastest and most efficient one they could get... inside a dumpster. 

They couldn't run unless they wanted to attract the attention of the two pro's now patrolling the area so they instead settled to fast walking. Six minutes before the bell rang. 

Slipping into the school with a minute to spare they immediately changed their demeanors. Giddiness and cheer at their victory disappeared to be replaced with a dull and numb tired exterior. It helped warn other kids to stay away, and everything was easier that way. 

Katsuki kept his sharp tongue and rough words but for the majority of the time simply ignored everyone who wasn't Izuku. Izuku didn't understand how he managed that, himself on the other hand noting down anything and everything about his classmates no matter the importance. After all, that was all he was useful for. 

The other kids avoided the two boys whoever possible. The two with their mysterious aura and the ability to lower the room temperature with only a glare. Katsuki being the more normal of the two while Izuku just being the full on creep. His lifeless eyes reminded them of a broken doll, limp movements sending fear shooting through them. They could never understand why and soon that fear got replaced by anger. That anger turned to the urge to abuse the outcasts. 

"Fucking creep," some boy muttered, trying to trip Izuku as he walked to his desk. 

Izuku didn't even blink or move his gaze from ahead of him as he stepped over the boys foot. How distastefully cliche. 

The teacher came in and started class as soon as the bell rang, not even a millisecond from when Izuku and Katsuki took their seats. Katsuki sat behind Izuku which felt nice to have the reassurance of him watching his back. Izuku would do the same for him anytime. 

"So, as you know it's time to start looking into high schools." The teacher cleared his throat. "And I am pleased to announce we have two students eligible for our very own UA. Please give a round of applause for," a hesitant pause, "Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo." 

A small and scattered applause filled the room but cursed muttering a could be heard below it all. To be expected, of course. 

Katsuki only snorted in response and raised his hands threateningly while Izuku kept his mindless gaze in front of him. He would not show emotions in front of just anybody. Especially not these wanna-be heroes. They'd have no chance out there, so maybe in a way this was the nice thing to do. After all, if they can't handle the kid in class who creeps them out, what chance would they have against villains that would actually kill them without hesitation? 

Pain flashed in Izuku's eyes at the thought of the League. School may have sucked but it was really the only place they could escape to without getting into trouble afterwards. Needless to say they had to have perfect grades and attendance (which they failed to do quite often on that last one) but rather then that it felt... nice... to be in such a normal environment. 

Izuku slipped out of his seat and crouched on the other side of Katsuki's desk, squished between him and the wall. The teacher noticed but refused to comment. He'd found it was easier to let the strange boy have his way when it came to Katsuki. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of the incident. The teacher had never even realized Izuku might've been hiding a monster underneath his barely existing shadow of a self before that day. He cleared his throat once again. Back to the lecture-


	2. To Hope for the Impossible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku jolted out of the flashback to Kurogiri's portal opening in front of him. Katsuki hesitantly stepped in while Izuku, in a moment of absolute panic and confusion from snapping back to reality, turned and took off running.

As the teacher continued his lecture on the importance of choosing the right high school, Izuku and Katsuki continued to easily tune him out and focus on each other. 

"UA." Izuku didn't need to elaborate for Katsuki to understand, his voice coming out hopeless and hollow. 

"UA," he agreed, silently sighing. "Do you think they would let us?" 

"Never." Izuku wasn't idiotic enough to even hope otherwise. "Do you think we could do it anyways?" 

"Never." Now a small grin overtook Katsuki as he met Izuku's gaze, determined glint filling his carefully sculpted dull face. "But we sure as hell can try." 

Izuku went quiet once again. "Katsuki, I'm scared," he admitted at last. "I'm so tired of fighting. I'm so tired of the punishments." Izuku eyes still had dark bags under them from the last punishment he had received. 

"I know." Katsuki's own voice went so soft a eavesdropping classmate didn't believe it was his. "But we can do this. Remember the promise? We will make it out. We will," Katsuki emphasized at the look on Izuku's face. 

"Mkay." 

"Izuku, I know it's... challenging, but we- wait what?" Katsuki had not been expecting Izuku to agree so easily and stopped mid-rant. 

"I said okay." Izuku's innocent gaze peered up at Katsuki. "I trust you." 

Katsuki's response was cut off by the teacher. 

"Now, I'll pass out some papers for you to read over to help decide your futures. Read them carefully," the teacher ordered, waving around a stack of papers as he plopped a pile down in front of Katsuki. The two snapped their mouths shut. 

A girl snorted. "Yeah right, like Midoriya even has a future."

Just like that the glint flickered back out of Izuku's gaze. 

"The best he could hope for is a tall building to jump for," another girl laughed. Her friend, a tall and long clawed boy high-fived her. 

Katsuki unconsciously let off a small explosion that prompted Izuku to tap his leg reassuringly. That tapping had gotten them through some rough times, hell if it wouldn't help with a bunch of hopeless brats. 

The teacher took the chance to slip from the room, probably for a smoke. Great teacher they had. A boy took the chance to snatch the notebook off of Izuku's desk, making him jolt upward in horror. 

"No-,"

The boy let out a snarl. "Here, you can take a practice round by jumping out of this window." The boy carelessly tossed the notebook out the window letting it fall to the ground with a splash as it landed in the fountain. 

Izuku winced as the panic started up once again for the second time that morning. He was so dead. Izuku couldn't control his panic anymore as he dropped to the ground in a pathetic ball. He clutched his legs close to his stomach as he sucked in air desperately. The room kept on spinning around him- Izuku couldn't breath, couldn't think- 

Two arms very gently picked him up, cradling Izuku to his chest. Katsuki didn't even spare the girl another glare as he stalked out of the classroom just in time for the bell to ring. He would be punished almost as much as Izuku when they got home. Izuku's torture alone was Katsuki's punishment. For now, maybe getting the notebook would make it less severe. 

"Breath," he reminded Izuku as he walked. "Match my breathing."

Izuku did as told, carefully and slowly syncing up their breathing until his head had cleared and he tapped Katsuki once to let him down. Katsuki considered ignoring the request but decided it wasn't worth the fight and reluctantly let Izuku down. 

"Be fucking careful," he hissed, yanking the soaking notebook from the fountain. 

Katsuki frowned at it when an idea lit up his head. He could dry it off himself! Before Izuku could react, Katsuki lit up a small explosion on the poor notebook, prompting Izuku to snatch it from his grip and burning his finger in the process. 

"KACCHAN!" 

"What?" Katsuki felt defensive. He was helping! 

Izuku held up the notebook to show Katsuki that now, along with being soaking wet and droopy, it had explosion marks and the paper had torn on the cover. 

"Oh motherfucker." 

***

"Can't you rewrite it?" Katsuki tried for the millionth time. 

"No! We don't have time! Kurogiri's portal comes in five minutes!" Izuku took a deep calming breath as he synced his breathing to Katsuki's once again, which wasn't the smartest thing because panic had overcome Katsuki too. 

"I'm so sorry." Katsuki's voice cracked in the middle causing Izuku to wrap his arms around him and ignore his own anxiety. 

"We'll get through this," he whispered. "We'll be alright." 

***

Izuku wasn't sure what had happened but he had opened his eyes only to find himself back in Shigaraki's bar. Katsuki sat across from him in a big empty room. Speakers and a computer screen filled a whole wall, and it crackled on as it repeated itself for the tenth time. Tears were pricking at both of the kids eyes. The isolation room. 

A video had been played on screen multiple times now and was once again playing again. It started with All Might, "I am here!" A big smile on his face. Izuku wanted to smack it off of him. The video continued to him saving armfuls of people and the audience going wild over it, then the video would shut off before replaying again. And again. And again, a never ending cycle until the lesson had been shoved into Izuku and Katsuki's minds. 

All Might was a liar who was not and never would be there for them. They would take down All Might. All Might, a poser, just like the rest of the hero society and they would fix it all for Shigaraki. 

But right now, Katsuki and Izuku were going insane. All Mights voice being it's own torture at this point, his words echoing as its own agony in the room. As it replayed once again, Izuku couldn't keep his scream of pain from ripping from his throat. His head dropped uselessly and immediately a harsh shock sent Izuku spasming on the ground. He quickly forced his head back to the video and the electrocution stopped as he panted in relief. 

Katsuki wanted to wrap his arms around Izuku in reassurance so badly, but any movement away from the screen would only result in another electrocution. The two were already burned with how many times it had happened. They couldn't handle any more. Tears started to slide down Katsuki's cheeks. He felt so tired. Why couldn't he just go to sleep, let this nightmare end? 

Izuku jolted out of the flashback to Kurogiri's portal opening in front of him. Katsuki hesitantly stepped in while Izuku, in a moment of absolute panic and confusion from snapping back to reality, turned and took off running. 

He threw his phone into the street as he ran, crossing into an alleyway and taking so many turns Izuku couldn't keep track as his head spun. 

Finally he collapsed against the ground as it hit him what he had just done. Izuku was so screwed. He forced himself to get up only to end up leaning with difficulty against the building. He couldn't give up now, but he also was not going to leave Katsuki. Maybe he could scout out a good hiding place for the two later. Yeah, that'd be beneficial. 

Izuku started to wobbly make his way down the alleyways, still going down new twists and turns but this time trying to keep an eye out on the paths he took, noting any landmarks. He could do this. 

***

Katsuki waited worriedly on the other side of the portal when Izuku never appeared. 

"Where. Is. He?" Shigaraki's hand wrapped around Katsuki's neck, leaving all but his pinky tightly choking the boy. 

Katsuki shook his head harshly. "I... don't know," he managed to couch out before Shigaraki finally released him, allowing for Katsuki to lean heavily against the wall. 

"Go find him." 

"What?" Katsuki thought he had misheard him. Shigaraki never let him explore by himself when Izuku had gone missing too. 

"I said go find him. Or do I need to throw your useless ass in isolation until you learn to listen?"

A gut wrenching panic almost made Katsuki throw up at the thought. "No sir, I'll find him," he responded immediately. Just no isolation, he silently begged. Never isolation. 

Kurogiri opened a portal back up for him to climb out of. Katsuki took a deep calming breath as he peered around. Where would Izuku had run off to if he panicked? The answer smacked him in the face. The alley. 

Katsuki didn't wait before taking off. He noticed something shiny along the side that made him pause and pick it up, tucking the device into his pocket. Izuku's phone. Determination and worry filled Katsuki as he continued to run mindlessly through the alleys. There was no way Izuku hadn't gotten his sorry ass lost in here.


	3. Sludge Holds a Grudge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sorry Sparky," the Sludge villain shrugged, "I need a place to hide while he's in town."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading and please leave comments!!! I love reading them!!!

Izuku felt something... slimy underneath his foot. No, not underneath his foot, creeping up his leg. Izuku recognized this immediately. It had been the villain Shigaraki had tried to recruit the previous week- the Sludge villain. 

It had ended really badly with Shigaraki basically throwing him into the streets after threatening to disintegrate him for getting sludge on his tv. Shigaraki didn't mess around with his tv, it being the main way to contact him. Izuku and Katsuki didn't dare get within five feet of that cruel device. 

"Well, if it isn't the Leagues little pet!" The Sludge villain crowed. "How fitting a revenge! I'll kill you and return your dead body to Shigaraki as a warning for messing with me!" 

Izuku resisted the urge to roll his eyes as the sludge continued to climb his body. This would be annoying. 

"Just make it fast," Izuku sighed. "I have stuff to do, places to be, things to see!" He emphasized. 

"Not anymore you don't!" The Sludge cackled. 

"Look, no offense, but your literally a goop of moving and talking slime. Just get this over with." 

The sludge just laughed as it slowly started to seep into his mouth. Izuku almost gagged at the texture though it tasted like nothing, maybe water. It surprisingly wasn't the worst, all considering. Still irritating, but not horrible. However when he started to gag his reflexes struck and Izuku started to struggle, finding himself ripping useless at the slime as it engulfed him until slowly, black started to fill his vision and Izuku found himself- no losing unconsciousness... but dying. Then nothing but light. 

Izuku woke up gasping for air. All the warmth had been drained from his body and he could feel the black rings that had formed around his eyes. The last of his strength faded deep inside of him to be held until he called it or needed it again. Izuku slowly sat up to take a survey of his surroundings. A man stood in front of him, making Izuku jolt upwards and stumble back, still dizzy from his death experience. 

"Who- who are you?" Izuku spat, though he knew perfectly well who it was. 

All Might grinned, noticeably in relief as he noted the young boy had actually been alive. He'd thought he had died before he arrived- maybe it had something to do with his quirk. 

"Do not fear, for I am here!" All Might announced loudly, making Izuku wince. 

Both at the noise and at the sound of his voice which grated against Izuku's head painfully. Visions of beatings filled his head while listening to that same line on repeat through tight headphones. 

"I gotta go." Izuku started to stumble away only to stop and freeze when All Might held something out to him, all color left completely draining from his face. 

"I signed your notebook!" All Might announced with a blinding smile. 

Izuku couldn't breath as tears filled his eyes. Mindlessly he collapsed against the ground in horror. "Do you know what you've just done?" 

"What?" The air suddenly got much colder and All Might winced at the force of the mindless look in Izuku's eyes. 

"You've killed me." Fear suddenly overtook Izuku. "You've ruined us both." 

"Us who?" All Might felt confused, like he had missed something. "Young man, I don't understa-,"

"OF COURSE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND! Why would you go around signing random things? Do you know how much trouble you just got me in?! No! Of course you don't!" Izuku answered himself before going back into his frightened rant. "I'm not gonna get to see Katsuki for months at this rate! And it's all your fault, why couldn't you just leave me alone?! Why'd you have to go and fuck everything up!? I was doing fine without you!" 

Izuku couldn't stand by himself anymore and leaned heavily against the wall while All Might could only stare in shock. "Can you please elaborate? Do you need help?" 

Izuku glared with all the strength he could muster. "No. And it's too late for that." His voice trembled against his will at the end, a single tear escaping from his eye before he could stop it. "Just. Leave." 

All Might shook his head. "Somethings wrong, and as a pro hero, it's my job to help you." 

"All your doing is making things worse." Izuku was too exhausted to argue so he started looking for an escape route. 

Maybe he could scale the building? No, not enough strength. Running? There was no way he could outrun All Might. Act dead? Or better yet, kill himself again? No, that'd just get the police involved too. Izuku was really struggling here. 

"Kid, we're pros. We can protect-,"

"Shut up." Izuku shakily pushed himself off the wall, smacking All Mights hand away as he tried to help steady the boy. "Just shut up. You are the reason for my fucking hell of a life." Izuku knew that wasn't actually true but he couldn't think right anymore, panic overtaking all his senses. "There's no point in pretending to care about me anymore. We're alone now, I won't tell anyone." Izuku couldn't focus on what he was saying. He couldn't comprehend the words coming out of his mouth. His head ached miserably. "Please, just go." 

"You know I can't do that, my boy." 

"I'm not your boy." Izuku just sounded in pure misery at this point. "Please."

All Might hesitated for a minute before shaking his head. "Sorry. No can do."

***

Katsuki had absolutely no idea where Izuku had gone. Shigaraki had given Katsuki a thirty minute time limit that was almost up and panic started to slowly fill Katsuki as the clock ticked. 

He had to find Izuku before the idiot managed to get himself killed. 

***

Izuku couldn't take it anymore. He forced himself to take off in the opposite direction, surprisingly fast for someone who had just died though his stamina was really low. Exhaustion and weariness overcame Izuku but he kept running. He could hear All Might yelling after him from behind as he chased the boy. Izuku knew he wouldn't outrun him like this. 

He started to dart in between alleyways, even some really narrow ones that made him have to squeeze through and All Might either fo around or jump over, but Izuku had to give him credit. The man was stubbornly persistent. 

Desperation to lose the hero overtook Izuku, fear of Kurogiri or Shigaraki finding him with All Might clouding his senses. So caught up in his running, it never even hit Izuku that his notebook wasn't in either of their hands. 

***

Katsuki panted in exhaustion, sweat dripping down his face when he spotted it. Izuku's notebook. 

Katsuki yanked it up and looked around. Maybe Izuku had finally come to his senses and went back to find his phone along the road. Katsuki nodded at himself, that's what made the most sense. Turning around, he groaned as he took off back towards the road, hoping he would manage to beat Izuku there. Fifteen minutes left. 

Katsuki successfully made it back to the street only to slump in defeat as no Izuku appeared. He had miscalculated, Izuku had not come to his sense. When a thick like substance trapped him in place, Katsuki was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't even notice until he tried to move. 

"Wha-,"

"Sorry Sparky," the Sludge villain shrugged, "I need a place to hide while he's in town." 

Panic filled Katsuki. "What?! Who?!" 

The Sludge chuckled as he continued to crawl up Katsuki. An audience was starting to gather now, pointing and yelling for a hero. 

"Your not really in a place to be asking questions, but if you must know I mean All Might."

Katsuki nearly went limp in relief. "Good," he sighed. He had also recognized the villain from the one the League had almost recruited. 

Difference between him and Izuku being that Katsuki didn't pay attention to little shit like them and instead focused on keeping others attention off of Izuku whatever ways possible. Whatever means it took. He'd gotten multiple villains killed doing that, but better them than Izuku. 

The sludge villain let out an amused chuckle as he started to sink into Katsuki's mouth. Only then did it really hit him the type of trouble he was in, prompting him to start struggling and clawing at the slime. 

"Get. Off!" He snarled, just as the slime took over his mouth. Katsuki gave more muffled protests, but started to choke as the sludge started filling his nose. 

Goddammit- he had to keep fucking Izuku alive- Izuku's the one who always gets into trouble, not him! 

Fighting became more and more useless as blackness threatened to overtake him and his head spun dangerously. Katsuki fought to stay conscious, fought to stay alive when a burst of strength sent a bit of the sludge flying backwards. 

Oh fuck no- "IZUKU FUCKING-," Katsuki could only manage those words before the sludge was back over his mouth. Fucking perfect.


	4. Missing Fucks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Fucking bullshit," Katsuki murmured, but with more hurt lacing his words then anger.

Izuku kept running, racing through the alleyways and prompting him to get even more lost as he thought he kept getting closer to the exit. He definitely was not. 

This continued for quite a while with Izuku dodging All Mights attempts to grab him and forcing himself not to stumble. At last Izuku had completely run out of energy, forcing him to collapse in a heap against the ground. He cursed himself for being so pathetic and weak as All Might caught up, but to Izuku's pleasure he was wheezing and spluttering as well.

"Now," All Might coughed, "Can we please talk?" 

***

All Might ended up dragging Izuku to the top of an isolated building where the two of them could be alone. Izuku had never hated a situation more. 

All Might opened his mouth to say something when he started to cough, blood trickling out of his mouth. A cloud of smoke completely opposite to Katsuki's Smokey Attack filled the rooftop, but Izuku jumped out of the way just in time to be clear of the smoke. He glared into it threateningly, daring All Might to try something. 

But to his surprise, when the smoke cleared it left a gangly, old, scrawny looking man. 

"Who are you?" 

"...I can explain..."

***

Izuku couldn't move. His mind had shattered, every part of him frozen in shock. All Might had become weakened? This badly? He shook himself from his daze. Izuku could focus on this later, discuss and dissect it with Katsuki on their own. For now, he had to escape. But... maybe one question first couldn't hurt...

"All Might? Can a villain ever become redempted or even hope to become a hero?" 

A surprised laugh escaped All Might before he could stop it. "Excuse me?" He assumed he had simply misheard the boy. 

"You know, if someone does bad things but with good intentions, can they still become a hero?" Izuku turned his gaze to the ground. No matter the answer he didn't want to see All Mights face. 

"I don't know if this is a joke or not, but it's quite serious what your asking. The answer would be no, there is no hope for a villain to ever redeem themselves, nor would a villain likely even want to become a hero." All Might studied Izuku carefully. 

Sure the boy looked scrawny, underfed and exhausted, but he had managed to dodge All Might for a considerable amount of time. That in itself was impressive. 

...Nah, had to have been a fluke. This kid was harmless. 

"Well, I don't know what kind of sick prank this is, but I have to get going to real hero stuff." 

Izuku winced, and not even at All Mights tone. He had only become too used to scolding adults. 

All Might didn't bother wait around any longer before leaving, shutting the door behind him. Izuku sat there a minute before he found himself inching to the side of the building, ideas flowing in his head. 

Izuku felt so tired. So done with the world. Maybe if he wished it would work hard enough? Izuku had done this too many times to hesitate as he jumped off the building, closing his eyes to let bliss take over as he dropped until contact with the ground, extreme agony, and then the light. 

Izuku woke to the usual pounding head, sore and aching body, warmth flushed from his system and sickish green color. Forcing himself up he started to sorely waddle back to the road. Maybe he could find his phone and get a ride back home. 

Izuku went down on his hands and knees to search for the small device when he heard it. Explosions. He didn't even hesitate before racing off in that direction, already knowing what to expect. 

***

Katsuki watched in horror as Izuku faced off against the villain, sending blow after blow until pieces of the sludge were everywhere. The villain itself was done, safe to say either dead or... no, definitely dead. Katsuki at the moment was too busy sucking in air to lecture him, though that sucker had it in for him when he caught his fucking breath- 

Neither of them got the chance before a burst of wind overtook them, followed by immense cheering from the audience as All Might appeared. Izuku and Katsuki winced perfectly in sync at his lines. 

"I have saved the day!" He called. "Never fear, I am here!" 

"Fucking bullshit," Katsuki murmured, but with more hurt lacing his words then anger. 

Izuku shrugged and helped yank Katsuki up before they nodded at each other in understanding. As the pro heroes made their way towards them, Katsuki let smoke start to fill from his palms and sink into the crime scene. By the time it would clear up, the two boys would be long gone. 

Except All Might had already appeared in front of them, sending the two boys to a skidding halt and Katsuki released a string of colorful curses as the other pros caught up, Izuku just staring, horrified. 

"Good job back there, son!" A pro crowed, other similar compliments filling the air as they congratulated Katsuki on his quirk and future hero-training abilities. 

Katsuki couldn't focus on anything but the irony. Izuku could feel his pain from across the scene. 

Izuku, on the other hand, had been scolded for the past half hour by a bunch of pros who were just salty this boy had beaten the villain they couldn't best themselves. 

By the time the two boys escaped, All Might was still waiting and simultaneously blocking their only easy exit. Izuku felt too weak and lightheaded to do anything but tiredly lean against Katsuki who supported all his weight without complaint. 

"What do you want now?" Izuku managed to hiss. 

Katsuki couldn't suppress his groan. Of course Izuku had run into Shigaraki's number one enemy- 

"I want a word, if you would," All Might asked, sending a side glance to Katsuki. "Alone?" 

"Anything he knows, I'm told anyways," Katsuki shrugged. "So whisper away, not like I won't know anyways. Plus there's no way this stupid nerd can stand by himself right now." 

All Might noted the kid was right with a worried glance at Izuku who looked awfully pale and swayed dangerously. Izuku also nodded in confirmation at Katsuki's words. All of them. 

All Might reluctantly sighed. "Very well, but you both must keep this a secrete. I cannot emphasize this enough. It could put walking targets on both your backs, especially yours-," All Might paused in realization. 

"Izuku," Izuku quickly filled in, voice breaking into a cough after. "Just Izuku. And that's Katsuki." 

"Then Izuku it is. Now, listen very closely..."

***

Katsuki furiously dragged Izuku to the bar. He couldn't believe that fucking Izuku had taken All Mights quirk- that motherfucker. Did he expect to be able to train with All Might with Shigaraki around? And he had to eat a piece of fucking hair to do it- who would trust that?! 

A growl ripped its way from Katsuki's throat, prompting Izuku to stay quiet. Last thing he wanted right now would be a lecture. 

They had been walking quite a while before Katsuki finally spoke. "What were you thinking?" 

The calm tone that Katsuki took sent shivers down Izuku's spine. He fucked up- 

Izuku got saved -if you could call it that- by a portal opening up beneath them, swallowing the two boys up. Not even a second later they were dropped into the floor on the bar. Izuku managed to land steadily enough with Katsuki only to collapse to the ground as soon as he carefully tried to let go. A groan escaped them both, for different reasons. 

"Notebook." Shigaraki didn't leave room for arguments. He already felt pissed enough at the trouble Izuku had caused, he wasn't going to fuck around. 

Katsuki didn't hesitate to pass it over from his pockets as Izuku could only watch with his eyes open in horror, too weak to even sputter out a protest as he burst into coughing instead and blood trickled from his mouth. Katsuki sent a look of worry his way but didn't dare move until Shigaraki gave the okay. 

Shigaraki flipped through the notebook slowly and carefully before getting to that page and pausing. "What. Is. This?" 

Izuku and Katsuki both winced at the edge in his voice and Katsuki couldn't help but send a look of confusion to Izuku who took all his remaining strength to whisper, "All Might signed." 

Katsuki couldn't keep a gasp from escaping as a hand clutched his mouth fearfully. They were so screwed- 

"Well?" Shigaraki hissed, letting the notebook crumble away in his hands. "I'm waiting." 

Izuku did his best to suck in breath to try and talk, but all that came out was a pathetic whimper and "He didn't ask," before bursting out coughing once again, this time dry heaving when he had finished his fit. 

Speaking of fits, Shigaraki looked about to have his own.


	5. Fucks Never Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Torture, torture and more torture.

Izuku lay uselessly on the floor in front of Katsuki, who despite himself had tears leaking down his face as he stared mindlessly at the dead boy. It took a little longer for Izuku to heal this time after dying so many times the past few days, but he did, slowly jolting awake with a gasp and color (if you could call that pale green that covered his skin that) slowly filled his body. 

Katsuki looked hopefully at Shigaraki to go help the boy as Izuku shakily and wobbly forced himself to stand. After all, Shigaraki had gotten his feelings out with a beating and then topped it off by disintegrating Izuku very slowly until he collapsed over, dead. 

Shigaraki waved an arm lazily and Katsuki didn't hesitate to crouch next to Izuku, carefully helping him into his arms while whispering soothing nothings into his ear. Izuku felt too exhausted to notice as he leaned into Katsuki's warm chest gratefully. 

***

By the time night came around Izuku was already feeling better and ready to go start his training with All Might. He went to slip from his room only for a growl from behind that froze him in his tracks. 

"I don't fucking think so." 

Izuku pouted. "Kacchan, I have to!" 

"No." Katsuki's voice left no room for argument. 

Too bad Izuku didn't care. "I'm going." 

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No." 

"Kacchan!" 

"Deku!" Katsuki mocked. "You're not fucking going!" 

Izuku pretended to think about it though he already knew his plan. "What if I go but don't do any training tonight? Then can I go? Just to talk with him?" 

Katsuki hesitated. "One of us will have to stay to make sure Shigaraki doesn't get suspicious though, if he comes around..." 

Izuku sent him the best puppy eyes he could muster. 

Katsuki hissed and clenched his teeth tightly. "Fine. But there better be no fucking training tonight." 

Izuku did a mental victory dance. "Thank you!" He sang, wrapping his arms around Katsuki. 

He rolled his eyes. "Just go already, fucking nerd." 

***

The beach wasn't too far away from the bar but also hidden enough the League wouldn't find it on accident. 

"All Might?" Izuku carefully stepped over the piles of junk and shattered or broken objects. He still felt woozy so moved extra slowly to ensure he didn't accidentally get stabbed. 

"I'm over here, my boy!" All Might called from behind a big refrigerator. 

Izuku's breath caught at his voice and he squinted his eyes shut, prepping for a hit before realizing the situation. He really had to work on that. 

Izuku worked his way over to All Might, mentally questioning why they were at the junkyard of a beach though he could already guess. 

"Am I going to clean the beach?" Izuku tried, "Using One for All?" 

All Might beamed and nausea filled Izuku's stomach. "Yup! Good observation skills!" 

Izuku could only get himself to nod as he clenched his teeth tightly before slowly letting out a steady stream of air. "Where do I start?" 

***

Sneaking back into Izuku and Katsuki's shared room was no easy task. Especially with Katsuki sitting in a chair next to the window expectantly. 

Izuku briefly wondered if he could leave a will somewhere, as dirt and dust covered him from head to toe and sweaty exhaustion stood out clear on the boy. 

"Hi-,"

"What the fuck Deku. I said no training." 

***

Izuku continued sneaking out for the next few weeks to train. Using One for All during training wasn't horrible but often ended with a broken bone that Izuku would have to spend time healing, making him look exhausted from using Essence, which in turn resulted in a lecture from Katsuki. They were both getting really tired of this pattern. 

Once Izuku had fined tuned All Mights power a bit better, Katsuki finally deemed him safe enough to join Katsuki on a vigilante run. The two rarely did it without the other, but with Izuku's new quirk putting such a strain on him Katsuki had banned Izuku from coming while he trained. Finally though Izuku had almost finished the beach. 

Izuku cheered as Katsuki slid on his costume. The sun had gone down a few hours previously and in his enthusiasm Izuku had already been changed in his costume. 

"Hurry up!" He whined again. 

Katsuki put up his bunny hood and slid on the bone mask. "I'm ready! Fucking quiet, Deku." 

Sending a quick text to Shigaraki to let him know they were going out to 'gain information' the two slipped out the door and into the bar. Toga had curled up asleep on the couch with Dabi on the phone with someone. Izuku sent Dabi a wave while Katsuki ignored him. 

Once outside Izuku swung himself in front of Katsuki, making him groan. "Deku! Be fucking careful! It's dark." His small explosions were the only light in the dark alleyways they were crossing through. 

Izuku didn't even pause as he raced forward before stumbling on a rock and falling into a heap on the ground. He sheepishly looked up at a exasperated Katsuki. "Sorr-,"

"Don't even." 

The two boys had spent the night on the prowl. They had stopped nearly three robberies, a rape attempt where the rapist 'unfortunately' didn't make it, and a small child who's quirk had gotten out of control when she had thrown a tantrum. A lollipop fixed that problem real quick. 

A lollipop would not fix this problem, however, as the two stood face to face to the underground pro Eraserhead. 

Of course it wasn't there first run in with the man but it didn't mean they were on good terms. 

"Eraserhead!" Izuku clapped his hands twice. "Awesome seeing you, as always, but we really gotta be going now-,"

Aizawa's capture noodle shot out to grab Izuku who easily dodged by jumping back just out of reach with some help from his quirk, Essence pulling strength from his body to help him shoot backwards. 

"Not so fast," Eraserhead sighed. He seemed exhausted. "I want to know where you've been, problem child." Eraserhead looked at Izuku but only concern laced his gaze. 

Izuku gave Katsuki a pointed look. "This meanie wouldn't let me join on the patrols this past month!" A sheepish smile slipped onto Izuku's face, not that Aizawa could see it. 

"And why not?" To Aizawa, Izuku had proven to be much more a problem child then the other, so that had been dubbed his permanent nickname. Katsuki being the pain in the ass. 

Katsuki and Izuku both got the strong need to win this argument. 

"He kept getting his bones broken!" Katsuki blurted out. 

"I was training! He kept being mean!" Izuku retorted. 

Aizawa turned his quirk on and his eyes glowed red as his hair lifted. Instantly the two boys shut their mouths. "Problem child, if I hear you've broken your bones one more time I will personally tie you to a hospital bed. Understood?" He glared until Izuku reluctantly nodded before turning to Katsuki. "And you, stop keeping Problem child from coming." His voice softened. "This is the only time I can check up on you two." 

They both dutifully nodded once again. In his pocket Katsuki's phone started to ring. Their time was up. 

"Sorry, 'Raserhead. Gotta run," Katsuki shrugged, pretending he wasn't feeling fuzzy inside. 

Eraserhead held out a hand quickly. "Wait-," 

It had been too late. Smoke had already laced the area and Eraserhead knew from experience that when it cleared, the two boys would be long gone. He still had no clue how they did it. 

***

The time for Izuku's last day of cleaning the beach came in the flash of an eye. After this he'd have one more week to study for the UA paper exam. 

Letting his eyes get adjusted to the dark, Izuku slipped out from his room and into the bar. He had almost made it to the door when the light flicked on, blinding Izuku as he shaded his eyes quickly. 

"And where do you think your going?" Shigaraki's voice was light and calm. His gaze being anything but as he scratched at his neck furiously. 

Izuku dropped his head to the ground as panic started to rise, choking him. He was screwed. 

***

"Tell. Me. The. Truth!" Shigaraki tried again, bringing his hand up to backhand Izuku once again. 

Katsuki snarled but it wasn't very intimidating with fearful eyes wide open and a tear stained face. 

Izuku coughed. Morning had almost arrived. Compress, Spinner and Magne lay lazily on the couch while Dabi and Toga kept a hand on Katsuki, making sure he couldn't interfere as Izuku was beaten. 

"I wanted to go for a walk!" Izuku spat again. 

Another smack with a crowbar landed heavily on Izuku's already bruised, bloodied and broken face. More blood splattered to the ground, dripping from the crowbar. Izuku had already died four times and it looked like Shigaraki was about to go for a fifth. 

"Kurogiri, call Master," Shigaraki finally furiously ordered. Kurogiri nodded before picking up a phone. 

Terror covered both Katsuki and Izuku's faces. 

"Wait, I'm sorry! I'll tell you everything! Please, don't-,"

Kurogiri put the phone on speaker and All for Ones voice filled the now dead silent room. Izuku quivered and Katsuki shrunk behind Dabi. Panic overfilled them both. 

"What."


	6. Sounding the Alarmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We love abandonment issues.

Shigaraki let a smirk fill his face. "Bunny's been misbehaving. He's been sneaking out and we need to know where." 

All for One stayed quiet for a minute, thoughtfully. "Izuku? Do you want to explain yourself? You have one chance." His voice stayed gently though both Izuku and Katsuki knew the torture that voice was capable of and the threat thats clear in his words. 

Izuku couldn't keep it in anymore. "AllMightgavemehisquirk," Izuku quickly responded. Tears finally started to spill down his cheeks at the confession but he had no choice. Katsuki's life would always be worth more then a secrete. 

"What?" Shigaraki frowned in confusion. 

All for One released a loud laugh that slowly turned into a slow applause. "So, our number one hero has finally chosen a prodigy." He hummed in thought. Izuku ducked his head as far as he could, turning his gaze to the ground and clenching his eyes shut. 

"Is that even possible?" Dabi spoke up now, but he didn't move so Katsuki would remain protected and hidden behind him. 

"Well, it goes without saying your banned from leaving the bar until you've proven you can be trusted again," All for One mused, ignoring Dabi's question. 

Izuku didn't have the confidence to protest and weakly nodded. 

"And you're banned from ever using that power. Do you understand?" 

Vocal answers only. Vocal answers only. Izuku repeated this in his head as he slowly forced in a breath. "Yes sir." 

"Good." All for One didn't say bye before disconnecting the call. 

The room remained quiet for several moment until Shigaraki spoke up. "See? Was that so difficult?" 

Izuku shook his head but he couldn't get himself to meet Shigaraki's gaze while tears dropped to the ground and sobs got stuck in Izuku's throat. 

"May I..." a hiccup escaped, "Be excused?" Izuku's voice was rough and broken, almost like an abandoned rollercoaster. 

"Sure." 

Izuku stumbled out of the room, leaning heavily against Izuku with ragged breaths as the two slipped into their room before Katsuki couldn't stand anymore and collapsed onto the ground, Izuku right next to him. 

Sobs finally escaped Izuku and Katsuki snapped out of his own panic in order to hold the heartbroken boy silently, rocking him slightly while he helplessly listened. Thank god for soundproofed walls. 

***

Izuku spent the last week explicitly obedient and in Shigaraki's or Kurogiri's sight at all times. The time flashed by and before they knew it, the UA exams were upon them. 

To their full on surprise and suspicion, Shigaraki had allowed them to attend the exams. At least they didn't have to go through the trouble of sneaking out as they waved goodbye to Dabi and Toga, ignoring Shigaraki and Kurogiri per normal. But then again, maybe sneaking out would have been proffered to the possible alternatives. The others would be arriving later that day. 

At the exams, Izuku couldn't stop excitedly ranting to Katsuki about all the possible quirks and people that would be there. He named off random statistics of past exams and something about 'robots, leveled 1-4 and a level 0,' that Katsuki payed zero attention to. 

Izuku had been so busy listing things off, Katsuki finally got irritated enough to give Izuku a small shove causing him to fall forward. 

Almost in slow motion, Izuku froze mid-air and both boys stared in confusion. 

"I'm so sorry!" A brown haired girl apologized. "I know I shouldn't have used my quirk on you but I thought that falling before the exams would be bad luck!" 

Izuku nodded at her before beaming in excitement. "That's your quirk? That was so cool! How many pounds can you lift? Is it a gravity quirk or something like levitation? Ooh, or psychic abilities? Something even more advanced?! There's so many possibilit-,"

Katsuki cut Izuku off with a smack to the back of his head before yanking him inside, completely ignoring the round cheeked girl. 

Izuku sent her a apologetic wave. "Good luck!" He called as she only stared in confusion at the two. There was something about them...

***

Izuku ended up being completely right with his predictions about the exams. A kid with glasses had yelled at Izuku as he let a cheer of smugness escape. 

As the alarm blared, signaling the start of the exams, Izuku was the first one to take off, pushing both his quirks Essence and One for All into his legs and speeding him up past what should've been possible and the speeds he'd reached in the past. 

Destroying robot after robot, Izuku also made sure to help any kids who had gotten hurt or exhausted themselves and sending them to the medical tent, helping one kid with a horrible stomach ache out when he couldn't even walk. 

Finally it came time for the 0-pointer. 

The noise was ear grating and made Izuku wince as he ran towards it, gently slipping past the people trying to run away. Izuku had gotten ready to use One for All once again when a scream caught his attention. The brown haired girl. 

She had been trapped beneath some rubble and her leg was twisted way more then it should've been, obviously broken and swelling up already. 

"Shit-,"

Izuku swung himself at the girl, knocking the rubble off of her in one hit with One for All and cracking his arm before yanking the girl out of the remaining rocks and with a bit of Essence, though exhaustion was really starting to hit, he tossed her to the side where she landed with a groan. 

Izuku had been so distracted with the girl he didn't have time to dodge the giant robot arm that went crashing on top of him. Izuku knew that couldn't have been part of UA's programming, considering it killed him on impact. 

***

From a small room above the exam area, All Might watched his successor destroy the exams, pride clear on his face. Aizawa was too caught up in watching the same kid only with confusion and suspicion. 

All the teachers halted in their conversations when the robots arm went crashing down on the kid. They started in horror. 

"Was that supposed to-,"

The teacher didn't have time to finish before Izuku woke up gasping for air. Since he hadn't died for a while it had been quite easy for him to revive quickly, however exhaustion was hitting much faster now so he'd have to move quickly. 

Aizawa narrowed his eyes as the kid ran back to the robot and the teachers gasped and started even more muttering among themselves. 

Who was this kid?

***

Izuku sat, slumped against the wall in exhaustion. He had returned to the League after the exams only to he immediately put into the isolation room as punishment for using One for All against orders. Izuku didn't know how they'd known that but he wasn't about to risk questioning it. Not that he could, anyways. 

The room itself had quite a good amount of space but that meant nothing when someone was alone in there. The room itself was the horrible torture. After all, while one day normally wouldn't seem horrible, it was when that one day would be slowed to equal a month because of a time manipulation quirk. 

Izuku couldn't stop his eyes from dropping, but he knew that when he'd wake up he'd have a long waiting time ahead of him. Perfect. 

***

Izuku stopped bothering to keep track of how long he would be in there years ago. The isolation room had been the most common and cruelest punishment of the League since Katsuki and him had been kidnapped as kids. It messed with their brains much worse when they tried to keep track, and they had developed 'brain games' to try and keep themselves sane during that time, normally consisting of counting down from 1,000 at random intervals, sometimes multiple ones. 

When the door opened, Izuku bounded out immediately, tears pricking at his eyes at the sight of someone else. No matter how many times this had happened he still couldn't stop the same reaction from happening. 

Dabi led Izuku upstairs wordlessly and slowly, letting Izuku get adjusted to the sight of another being. He didn't want to overwhelm the boy too badly. 

"Bunny," Shigaraki greeted. 

Katsuki wrapped his arms around Izuku tightly. That week had been torture to Katsuki as well. After his parents incident (and the rest of their lives) they both had abandonment issues. Katsuki's just tended to be a bit more severe. 

"Please don't leave again," the boy in question whimpered into Izuku's ear. 

It broke Izuku's heart when he got like this but he could only muster up the strength to nod. 

"Your acceptance letter arrived," Shigaraki called. He pointed at the mounted tv that had a video of All Might clear on screen. 

Both Izuku and Katsuki winced, but Katsuki didn't let go even as Shigaraki stalked towards them. 

"You got in, but I'm in a fucking bad mood now. I didn't want to have to see that fucker, yet there he is on my tv. You understand what that means, correct?"

Izuku didn't bother nod as Shigaraki's hands reached out to wrap around Izuku's neck.


	7. Bitches Get S... Sad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The homeless looking man appears once again.

Izuku and Katsuki crouched in a dark alleyway. They were doing another patrol. Normally after dying, Izuku would've had to beg Katsuki to let him come, but after the two have been separated for so long being left behind wasn't even an option.

The night stayed decently quiet, only one man losing control of his quirk over some argument with a waitress that got easily settled when Katsuki knocked some sense into him. 

They returned to the League happy that the streets were calm but a bit disappointed they couldn't get out more steam. 

Katsuki and Izuku collapsed onto their king sized bed, the nicest thing they had in their room. Rather then that was a small dresser that fit all their clothes, then nothing but ripped up carpet. 

Izuku lay faced down on the bed while Katsuki leaned on his side, facing Izuku. 

Izuku knew he wanted to say something. "What?" 

"We got into UA."

"Yeah?" Izuku hummed, trying to think what he was getting at. 

"Class 1-A." 

"Correct again."

Izuku peeked his head up to see tears silently streaming down Katsuki's face. Horrified, he jumped up and quickly wrapped his arms around Katsuki, letting him quietly cry into his shoulder. 

"We- we really could've been heroes," he sniffed. "We would've been heroes. Now we're nothing but-," a sob escaped his throat as his voice broke, "We're spy's, Deku. For a bunch of shitty villains." 

The two sat there wordlessly for some time while Katsuki tried to get himself together, furiously wiping at the tears that refused to stop coming. Izuku's own face had dulled in careful thought and consideration before speaking again. 

"Not forever, we won't be," Izuku finally muttered. 

"What?" Katsuki thought he had misheard him. 

"Nothing." 

***

Izuku woke up to Dabi holding a bucket of iced water and rolled out of the way just in time to miss the downpour as it hit the bed. Katsuki had already rolled off anyways, so the freezing water thankfully missed them both. 

That didn't save Dabi from the force of their glares. 

"Out!" 

A smirk graced Dabi's face. "I wanted to wish you luck on your first day of school!" 

"DABI!" 

***

Katsuki and Izuku kneeled in front of Shigaraki while he stalked between the two, a leather belt in hand. 

"Repeat your rules back to me," he ordered. "Sparky starts." 

Katsuki breathed in deeply, wincing at the pain it brought him. Both boys backs had been whipped enough that they would be bloody and sore for a while. Well, until Izuku healed them both anyways. 

Healing others took a lot of strain on Izuku's side. After all, his quirk pulled energy from his core and spirit to get things done and therefore exhausting him in its normal use. 

"No friends," Katsuki started, gasping as the belt go brought down on his back all over again. 

"No answering questions," Izuku muttered. He held his wince in as the belt smacked against his head. 

"No talking to heroes unless absolutely necessary." Another swish could be heard as the belt came down again. 

"No giving away any information." Another whack. 

"No speaking of the League." Both boys flinched hard this time as the belt whipped both of them much harder then the other times for the final time. 

Shigaraki was satisfied. "Good. Don't be late to class," he warned. 

Izuku and Katsuki nodded dutifully before stumble raising to their feet. Katsuki breathed harshly while Izuku let him lean against him, holding in his own whimpers. Kurogiri wordlessly opened a portal for the two to limp through. 

Both boys collapsed on the other side, crumpling to the ground. Their backs stung the worst, but Izuku also had a oozing head wound and Katsuki had broken-in hands. 

Izuku raised his own hands and hovered them over Katsuki as he started his healing. It took only a few minutes for both boys to be completely healed of all injuries and for them to quickly wash the blood off of themselves with a water bottle and rag that they then ditched in a nearby dumpster. 

Deep black rings surrounded Izuku's eyes as he tried to desperately keep him open. 

Katsuki disagreed. "Get some sleep before we reach UA," he murmured. "Or else you'll be exhausted throughout the day and won't be able to do your best. Okay?" 

Izuku responded by curling up against Katsuki's chest as he cradled the already gently snoozing boy and started to walk, humming reassuringly. 

***

Katsuki reached the school too fast for his liking. The brown haired girl spotted them as Katsuki continued inside. He wanted Izuku to get as much rest as possible- up to the second. 

"Hi!" She beamed. "I don't think we've been introduced, I'm Ochako Uraraka!" 

Izuku jolted awake in Katsuki's arms and Katsuki clenched his teeth in annoyance. Stupid round cheeks, waking the nerd up. 

"Fuck off." 

Uraraka had not been expecting that answer and looked at him in shock. "You were the one to tie for number one in the exams, right?" 

Katsuki snorted and Izuku whacked him on the back of his head as he slid down. "Sorry about him, call me Izuku. And that's Katsuki." 

Katsuki just turned his head away in response and shoved the nerd forward but didn't protest as Uraraka followed behind. 

"Your the one with the gravity quirk, right?" Izuku prompted. "That's so cool! Can you tell me how it works?" 

***

The three kids stood at the doorway. Katsuki had only stayed to wait for Izuku but the nerd and Uraraka were too engaged in their conversation to notice. Katsuki did have to admit it was a nice change from the numb exterior Izuku had always shown at school in the past. Maybe this actually would be a change in the right direction... 

Both boys jumped around, startling Uraraka, fists up preparedly for a battle. The man in a yellow sleeping bag tiredly stared at them in surprise. He hadn't expected them to notice him approaching. 

"Go sit down," he ordered. "Your not here to make friends." The homeless looking man followed them into the classroom and when everyone had taken their seats, he finally continued. "I'm your teacher for this year, Shouta Aizawa. If you're here to mess around then the door is right there." Aizawa let the sleeping bag drop and stepped out of it carelessly. "In five minutes I want everyone changed and downstairs outside for a test. Don't be late or your expelled." 

"What about the assembly?" A blue haired boy asked. 

Izuku and Katsuki had both done their research and knew the boy to be Iida Tenya. 

"Unimportant." Aizawa glared at them all. "Now move." 

The kids hurried to do his bidding but as Katsuki and Izuku carelessly slid by him, Aizawa couldn't help himself from eyeing them suspiciously. Something about them seemed familiar- 

***

Outside, everyone stood in a sideways line as Aizawa went over the obstacles. "Now, Bakugo, if you will," Aizawa motioned for him to come up. 

Katsuki winced at the name but did as told and stepped up to a white plate on the ground. 

"Throw this ball as far as you can. And no quirks." 

Katsuki did as told sending it surprisingly far. Needless to say Aizawa hadn't expected that. 

"90 meters," he muttered, then louder, "Now use your quirk." 

This time it was 185 meters. Aizawa almost let surprise take over his features. Almost. "That's what you all will be doing." 

Cheers came from the kids. 

"This'll be fun!" Mina exclaimed, her voice laughing over the others. 

Aizawa slowly turned to glare at the pink girl. "Since you think this is 'fun' the person that comes in last will be expelled. Understood?" 

A tense "Yes sir!" Came from the kids as they lined up to do the tests. 

Izuku and Katsuki slipped together while Aizawa had been busy taking notes on the kids. 

"What should we do?" Katsuki muttered. Izuku had always been best with the planning. 

"I think it's fair to get first or second on one event, but the rest stay below fifth. Got it?" 

Katsuki nodded and the two turned away as Aizawa called Izuku up next. 

In the fifty meter dash, Izuku came in fourth, Katsuki in sixth. The grip strength test ended with Izuku in first as it went well with his quirk and Katsuki still in sixth. The only one Katsuki came second in being the ball throw, Uraraka getting first with her infinity throw. Izuku didn't realize what Katsuki had done until the very last test for him, the ball test. 

"You did what?!" He hissed at the explosive boy who had his hands tucked sheepishly in his pockets. 

"I... maybe got sixth in every other event," Katsuki admitted before defensively adding, "But you said to get below fifth!" 

"I didn't mean the same place every time! That's just suspicious!" 

Todoroki who had been listening in from the side found their whole conversation suspicious. 

"Midoriya, your up," Aizawa called, halting their argument. 

The name sent a strike of fear through Izuku before he reminded himself of where he was and stepped up to the plate. 

"But if you hold yourself back one more time I'm going to expel you. This isn't the place for that."


	8. Screwed In So Many Ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Deku, what the fu-,”

Izuku refused to give the man a protest as he simply nodded, panic overtaking his stomach. It would be okay, he could do this. No holding back on this throw. 

...no, Izuku felt the panic start to overtake him. Katsuki quickly tapped his side three times reassuringly and reminding Izuku to take a deep breath. 

Stepping up to the plate, Izuku got an idea. The whole stadium felt dead silent though really the kids were chattering all around him. Arching his arm back, Izuku threw the ball with One for All just in time before Aizawa turned his quirk off. 

Izuku's eyes were wide with horror as blood slowly started to dribble from his mouth. Fear hit Katsuki as he rushed to Izuku's side, catching him right before he crumpled to the ground in a heap. His sickish green color was returning stronger then ever and slowly the air left his lungs as his eyes started to dull and glaze over. 

Aizawa released his quirk immediately and all the damage slowly forming on Izuku's body disappeared. His eyes brightened and blinked a few times. Izuku shoved himself out of Katsuki's arms and landed hard against the ground, coughing up all the remaining blood painfully while he stared up at Aizawa. 

"Not again," he whispered with a raspy voice, so low Aizawa almost missed it. "Never again." 

Aizawa didn't hesitate to nod in horrified agreement. 

***

Izuku returned to the classroom later from Recovery Girls office with Katsuki right on his heels. Aizawa had sent Izuku to the nurses immediately before rallying the rest of his class back inside, but not before revealing the whole expelling thing had been nothing but a logical ruse to get them to do their best. 

Izuku knocked on the door right before Katsuki pushed him out of the way and stalked in, taking his seat in front of Izuku. What a change. 

"Glad to see your back," Aizawa greeted. 

Izuku and Katsuki shared a look before Aizawa re-continued class. 

***

On their way back outside, Uraraka ran up to Izuku followed by Iida. 

"Hi," she exclaimed, "Are you okay?" 

Izuku sent her a grateful and forced smile. "I'm fine, thank you." 

Katsuki smacked the back of his head again. 

Iida narrowed his eyes at the action but chose to ignore it, instead giving Izuku a small bow. "Tenya Iida, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." 

Izuku gave him a forced smile too. "Pleasure," he muttered, silently mocking the antiquity of the words. 

"Move or we're gonna be late!" Katsuki hissed, forcing the three to continue their conversation downstairs, though a smile itched at his face. Izuku had made some alli- friends. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to do the same...

***

Downstairs, the class was met by a loud exclaim, "I am here!" 

Everyone broke into excited cheers. 

"All Might!" 

"So manly!"

"The number one hero!" 

All Might finally held his hands out, quieting the class. "You can all get changed after the directions and then we're going to get started. I'm going to split you into two teams, heroes and villains. From there you will be faced up against a team of two with your own team of two." As All Might continued to ramble on the class found themselves more and more confused at the directions and only hoped they got the gist of it as All Might beamed and started passing out slips of paper. "Now to find your teammate!" 

Izuku felt pleased to be paired with Uraraka but even more excited to be going up against Katsuki. A smirk lit up his face. Katsuki was going down! 

Katsuki met Izuku's challenging gaze with his own determined smile and a nod. No holding back. 

Being sent to the changing room, Izuku and Katsuki slipped into stalls in order to quickly switch to their 'hero' costumes. They slipped out undetected by the others as to avoid questioning. Izuku slid next to Uraraka once outside who had her own very tight and clearly uncomfortable costume on. 

Izuku's own held small bunny ears that could be mistaken to be copying after All Mights, for safety sake. A simple black skin-tight suit wrapped around his torso with surprisingly protective leggings made of a strong material around his legs. He had a metal face gear too and goggles that matched Katsuki's grenade styled ones except with bunny faces. Katsuki had the same thing as Izuku just in orange. It made it clear they were related in some way, just like they wanted. No one would fuck with them now. 

All Might sent the first group into the building, and the heroes won, Tokoyami and Momo. This continued for a while with different teams going and Izuku barely payed attention as they went. Their turn came up after what felt like an eternity of waiting. 

Izuku sent Katsuki a few taps of luck as they walked off to their opposite sides, Katsuki and Iida already planning where to hide the 'bomb' while Uraraka and Izuku chatted about the opposers quirks and best plan of action, plus trying to analyze where the 'bomb' would be located. When their five minutes of planning were up both sides were beyond ready. Except Katsuki who had declared he would be going after Izuku and refused to compromise any more. 

Izuku and Uraraka split up immediately,Uraraka racing for the window to levitate herself throughout the building and find where the bomb had been hidden while Izuku would distract Katsuki until she found the bomb, then make Katsuki blast him a way to it where they'd double team the two together. 

Katsuki set off a explosion as he ran into the hallway Izuku had been waiting, expectantly cackling. "Come on out, nerd!" 

Izuku grinned in excitement. Let the games begin. 

Izuku threw himself at Katsuki the moment he turned around, wrapping his arms around his waist and flipping him backwards into the ground. Katsuki sent a kick out at Izuku's leg that he jumped back to avoid and Katsuki took the chance to jump up and send a explosion after him. 

Izuku wouldn't use his quirk until the right moment, no use exhausting himself so early in the match. 

Katsuki threw a right hook that Izuku easily dodged and countered with his own fist which successfully collided with Katsuki's lip instantly bloodying it. 

From outside the building, class 1-A watched the battle in shock. 

"I thought they were really close-," Kirishima blinked as the two clashed not bothering to hold anything back. 

"Me too, where'd they get the motivation for this kind of attack?" Jiro wondered. 

"Maybe they made the other mad," Momo offered. 

All Might felt his heart drop. Maybe pairing the two off against each other had been a mistake. 

Izuku and Katsuki grinned wildly while spitting insults at each other and bringing up past incidents they'd both agreed to never talk about again, saved for a situation just like this. 

Uraraka's voice interrupted their fight by shouting into Izuku's ear piece, "I found it! Third floor!" 

Izuku fake pouted. "Aw, seems our little battles over, Kacchan! Gotta go diffuse a bomb, fight another villain, you know how it goes." 

Katsuki laughed evilly. "I don't think so!" He swung himself at Izuku all over again. 

A moment before Katsuki's swing caught Izuku, his moves became automatic as slowly a memory overcame his vision. 

Izuku couldn't move. Almost like a movie theatre, Izuku was watching a scene play out except he couldn't get himself to turn away or snap out of it. 

A younger Izuku and Katsuki, maybe five or six, were sparring against a gigantic, multiple quirked beast. A Nomu. The two were panting in exhaustion as they raced around it in different directions and threw themselves at it in sync only to be knocked away as though they were flys. Young Izuku managed to get a hit though first, sending the Nomu crumpling to its knees as Izuku smashed his foot in. 

The two took a moment to gulp in breaths. They were covered in sweat, blood and dirt and Izuku had been killed multiple times now so his movements were slow and shaky. The Nomu had orders not to kill Katsuki. Izuku didn't get the same option. 

Katsuki did have his arm twisted back and turning purple and swollen. Izuku had shoved down some of his only remaining strength to heal him as soon as they were allowed. 

Izuku felt sick as he watched the younger version of himself and Katsuki fight off against the beast before he snapped back to reality, shivering. Katsuki had ceased his attempts the second Izuku's eyes had dulled, waving his hand in front of his face worriedly. He slumped in relief when Izuku snapped back to it. 

"Deku what the fu-,"

"Not right now." Izuku gave Katsuki his best puppy-eyes. "I need to fight. Please." His voice cracked as he silently pleaded with the boy. 

Katsuki hesitated but ended up reluctantly nodding and getting back into fighting position. "But the second I say your done, your done," he clarified leaving no room for argument.


	9. Wrecked Mess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and Katsuki are constantly sus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who’s worried, I have five chapters pre-written at all times! So don’t worry about it being rushed or anything! Thanks so much for all the amazing comments I love them so much!!!

Katsuki and Izuku went back to sparring mercilessly. All Might was seriously considering stopping them and would've already had it not been for the fact that they both looked... fine. With the exception of Izuku's color which had been drained from his face. 

Izuku forced a grin as he got Katsuki to level an explosion at the ceiling, taking it so it would be aimed right and it shot Izuku right through it. Good. Izuku took off towards the third floor while Katsuki yelled curses and cussed Izuku out for being such a self-sacrificing idiot. 

Izuku had almost reached the floor when another explosion from underneath him knocked him off balance but at the same time a alarm sounded, ending the match. 

"Heroes have won!" All Mights voice echoed throughout the building. 

Izuku let a real grin take over now before jumping down and landing on top of Katsuki, knocking the boy over with a laugh. Katsuki shoved him off and stood up before forcibly picking up a now protesting and wiggling Izuku and dragging him out of the broken building. 

Uraraka and Iida hurried to catch up behind them and sent Katsuki a questioning look at Izuku. 

"The fucking nerd overexerted himself," Katsuki reluctantly admitted. "Though he'd never tell you that. He needs sleep." 

"I do not!" Izuku whined, still fighting to get down. 

Katsuki glared. "Quit wiggling. If you were really fine you would've been able to get out easy. Stop it before I beat your sorry ass." 

Izuku reluctantly quit fighting and instead settled back into Katsuki's arms, wiggling slightly until he felt comfortable before finally relaxing. 

Katsuki kicked the door open to his stunned classmates. 

"But-,"

Katsuki held a hand up, stopping Kirishima from finishing. "We're fine." 

"O-oh, okay..."

***

Izuku had been relaxing in the corner when his phone rang. He hopped up and making sure everyone was totally focused on the match before sneaking out. 

"Hello?" 

"Bunny. An update?" Izuku knew Shigaraki hadn't been asking. 

"All Mights our class teacher, Eraserhead our home room teach. Our classmates have a variety of impressive quirks and- wait can't this wait until I get back?" 

Shigaraki stayed quiet for a minute before responding. "Yeah, but I'm bored." 

Deadbeat look on Izuku's face, he hung up the phone and slipped it back into his pocket before heading back inside just in time for Todoroki and Toru vs. Sero and Kaminari. They'd all seemed pretty chill so Izuku liked them. 

However he had not been expecting Todoroki to full on freeze the entire building. He and Katsuki shared a worried glance while the rest of the class stared in awe. They just hoped Shigaraki wouldn't do the same. What he liked, he'd get. 

***

After class Izuku and Katsuki discovered they'd be walking in the same direction as Uraraka and Iida. Luckily they got off first, but it still left a bad taste in the boys mouths. 

"Uraraka, if I can ask, why did you want to become a hero?" Iida asked. 

Both Izuku and Katsuki's faces darkened. 

"Well- it's not really that noble," Uraraka sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "I kind of need the money. My family's really poor." 

Iida nodded savagely. Katsuki slung his hands around the back of his head carelessly while they walked. 

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to support your family!" Iida argued. "That would be considered noble indeed!" 

Izuku hummed in thought but Uraraka took it as an agreement and brightened instantly. 

The closer they got to Kurogiri's meeting point, the more nerves stirred in Izuku and Katsuki's stomachs. They were finding themselves actually liking Iida and Uraraka's company, they didn't want to get them into any kind of trouble. 

Uraraka and Iida waved goodbye at way too close a call to Izuku's liking. He breathed out in relief and his shoulders released tension he hadn't realized he had been holding. 

And just in time as Kurogiri's portal appeared. The two gratefully stepped in. Katsuki promised himself next time the two would take the long route. 

"How'd it go?" Shigaraki demanded. 

"Fine," Izuku shrugged. "Nothing that stood out or anything," he lied, thoughts turning to Todoroki. For some reason he felt the strange urge to protect him.

Shigaraki turned his gaze to Katsuki who nodded in agreement. Unlike Izuku, Katsuki couldn't stand even talking to Shigaraki. It made him sick. 

"Fine. You can go." 

Izuku and Katsuki escaped to their room gratefully, throwing their backpacks to the side and collapsing on the bed. 

"Taking a liking to round cheeks and glasses?" Katsuki asked, teasing smirk on his face. 

Izuku pouted. "Don't act like you haven't either! And I saw you talking to Kirishima, Mina, Sero and Kaminari earlier!" 

This time Katsuki was the one to fake a pout. "Was not!" 

"Was too!" 

"Was not!"

"Was too!" 

"Not the point-," Katsuki finally cut off. "How are we going to hide this from Shigaraki?" 

Izuku shrugged. "Is there even hiding anything from Shigaraki? Why bother? We don't have to be friends just... close associates." 

"That will never work."

"Never know till you try!"

***

News that All Might had become a teacher at UA spread like wildfire, and as Izuku and Katsuki approached the school they were bombarded by questions from the press. 

"What's it like to have All Might as a teacher?"

"Is All Might any good? Is there any dirt you've gotten?" 

"How does he encourage you kids?" 

Katsuki blocked their view from Izuku immediatly but it didn't matter. The flashing lights from the camera and overwhelming constant lines of questions being flung at them, panic started to overtake Izuku. 

His breath quickened as his lungs closed off and Izuku's head pounded, chest aching horribly. Izuku dropped to the ground and curled into a ball with whimpers escaping him while tears filled his eyes. He couldn't breathe- why couldn't he breathe?

Katsuki lifted Izuku from the floor and pushed him tightly against his chest sending a growl and small explosion at the press. "Move!" 

They did as asked while staring in shock, allowing the boy to carry Izuku to the school where Aizawa had been waiting. He frowned at the sight of Izuku. 

"What happ-,"

"No," Izuku muttered, tears streaking his cheeks. "Please, no!" 

"Inside now," Aizawa ordered, shutting the UA security gate behind them. 

At the silence Izuku relaxed. Katsuki whispered breathing exercises into his ear and Izuku did his best to follow them until the pounding and aching were gone and he could breathe again. 

He pushed himself down from Katsuki with a tint of an embarrassed blush rising on his cheeks. "I'm fine." 

"Fucking liar," Katsuki coughed underneath his breath but he followed Aizawa without another word to the classroom anyways. 

Aizawa kept sending them questioning glances that both boys pretended not to notice. 

***

"Today you are going to be electing a class president," Aizawa announced. "I don't care how or who, just do it before class ends and don't wake me before it's been decided." He settled back into his neon yellow sleeping bag in the corner of the room. 

Izuku took the chance to slip next to Katsuki's desk and lean heavily against it. After staying up going some patrolling all night, he hadn't gotten much sleep. Not that Katsuki knew that. 

"You better get some fucking sleep," Katsuki ordered, pushing Izuku's head into the wall. "Now."

A bead of sweat dripped down Izuku's face as he looked to the side sheepishly. "Sorry." 

"No your not."

"I'm really not." 

***

Iida ended up being voted President while Izuku snoozed, Katsuki taking the liberty to vote Iida for the both. Momo got Vice President. 

When Aizawa woke up he immediately noticed Izuku sleeping. No harm in pretending he hadn't... 

The kids were dismissed to the mess hall, Katsuki finally reluctantly waking up Izuku who sleepily followed his class. 

Katsuki and Izuku slipped to the back of the cafeteria in a dark corner everyone tended to avoid, per usual. 

Iida and Uraraka headed to their own usual places at the class table, but today Uraraka felt reluctant. 

"Why do you think Izuku and Katsuki always sit back there?" She wondered, catching the attention of several other classmates. 

"And they never eat," Kirishima noted. "Should I bring them some food?"

"Maybe they don't have the money," Kaminari offered and Uraraka turned away in embarrassment as Momo passed her an extra lunch she had brought for the girl. 

"Should we ask?" Jiro sent a worried glance at the two. "At least if they want to join us?" 

"Well who would we send?" Tsuyu croaked. 

Everyone turned to each other before returning to their food. 

"No idea." 

Izuku and Katsuki glanced at their classmates. We're they talking about them? 

They turned their attention back to the empty table in front of them as Katsuki's stomach growled hungrily and he sighed. 

"I hope Shigaraki lets us have some food tonight." 

"Nah, you can have my portion," Izuku responded. "I already died from starvation last night so I'm good for a few days." 

Katsuki would've hit him had the Aizawa's eyes not been on them suspiciously.


	10. Tied, Tired, and Trying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Real heroes

The lunch got interrupted by a loud blaring alarm that made both Katsuki and Izuku flinch and grit their teeth to push down the upcoming panic and calm their beating hearts. 

Everyone in the cafeteria started screaming and running for the exit, pushing and shoving each other and making the whole situation worse. It irritated the hell out of Katsuki. 

Izuku and Katsuki already knew what they had to do. The two had grim looks on their face as they waited in their seats until everyone had left the mess hall and had crammed themselves in the hallway. They didn't dare try to run away, didn't dare even move. 

And that's when the hands wrapped around Izuku's throat. Shigaraki didn't bother keep a finger off as he slowly watched Izuku's neck disintegrate below his fingers. Izuku clenched his teeth so tightly he felt one crack. He refused to yell. He wouldn't give Shigaraki the satisfaction. 

Once Izuku had died, crumbling into a pile of blood and limbs, Shigaraki left. He turned and disappeared as though he had never even been there, leaving the slowly regenerating boy and teary, worried one. 

Shigaraki's warning had been made loud and clear. He could reach them anywhere, at anytime. Don't fuck up. He's in charge. 

Izuku regenerated fairly quickly and Katsuki wrapped his arms around him tightly when he did, helping Izuku stumble back to the classroom. Tears streaked down both their faces the difference being Izuku's eyes were wide, dulled and numb and Katsuki's were full of restrained emotions. 

Aizawa gave them a glance as everyone entered the classroom before doing a double-take and turning to take a closer look at Izuku who Katsuki had both his arms around and had helped him limp in. 

"What happened?" 

"He tripped," Katsuki grunted, helping Izuku lean heavily in his seat. 

Izuku panted in exhaustion and the sickish green color covered his naturally white pale complexion, cheeks wet and red glazing his eyes. He could barely hold his head up as his quirk slowly finished filling in his insides. 

Aizawa cleared his throat. "Good job Iida, you reacted well in that situation. Now, be ready tomorrow for a trip to the USJ. If your late you'll be left behind. Dismissed."

Izuku and Katsuki took the long way home that day, Izuku slung over Katsuki's back as he lay in exhaustion. 

The portal was already open when they arrived so Katsuki didn't hesitate to stumble through and land in a tired heap on the other side. 

Shigaraki didn't bother glance at them but Dabi was quick to jump up and take Izuku from Katsuki, helping the boy limp to his room and cradling Izuku in his other arm. 

"It's okay," Dabi soothed, gently laying a sleeping Izuku on his bed and tucking the blanket tightly around him while Katsuki sat heavy on the beds corner. 

Sobs couldn't stop escaping Katsuki's throat as he trembled. He couldn't stop his fingers from tapping against his leg as he did, wishing that they were Izuku's reassuring touch. 

Dabi took a seat next to Katsuki before wrapping an arm around him and pulling him close and letting him cry into his shoulder. He was just a kid, reminding Dabi of a certain someone. He shouldn't be going through this, neither of them should. Dabi stayed as long as he could until Shigaraki called him to the other room for a mission briefing. He had been reluctant to leave the two but did as ordered before something worse could happen, Katsuki left to curl up next to Izuku with a hand on his chest, needing to feel the breath filling Izuku's lungs. It was the only reassurance he got. 

***

Izuku woke up the next morning to Katsuki'a grip tight around him. He sighed as he pried the arm off, getting ready. He'd let him sleep in until the last possible moment. 

Katsuki ended up waking up while Izuku had still been getting ready. 

"Morning." 

"Morning," Izuku hummed. "How you feeling?"

"I should be asking you that." 

"I'm fine." 

"Liar." 

Izuku gave an indignant huff. 

***

Iida was chopping his hand and shouting orders to stay in line. 

"Dude, your the only one out of line!" Kaminari pointed out. 

Katsuki wished they would all just shut up for a minute. 

"All right, everyone on," Aizawa ordered, gesturing to the bus. 

The students did as told and started to file on, settling into their seats. 

Izuku and Katsuki sat in the very back, Kirishima sitting across from them. Izuku knew he'd taken a liking to the spiky blonde. 

Izuku had zoned off to music on his phone with Katsuki leaning against his shoulder, eyes shut but his shoulders were too tense for him to possibly be asleep. Izuku made sure he kept one earplug out, just in case. 

"What's with Katsuki and Izuku?" Tsuyu croaked out, catching both boys and Aizawa's attention. 

Izuku quickly paused his music and Katsuki snapped to attention, still keeping his eyes shut. Aizawa leaned backwards but kept an eye open carefully. The two intrigued him too. 

"It is strange," Uraraka admitted. "It's like their really close, but the second their pitted against each other it's everyone for themselves." 

Iida hesitated. "We shouldn't be talking about them behind their backs. It's not polite." 

"But we know nothing about them!" Jiro argued back. "I know at least something about everyone else, those two? Total mysteries!" 

"And we plan to keep it that way," Izuku coolly broke in. 

Everyone went dead silent at the realization they were listening. 

"We're sor-," someone started. 

Izuku didn't care who. "It's fine, not like we didn't expect it. Just drop it." He didn't leave room for an argument. 

Katsuki tapped Izuku's side reassuringly, snuggling back into his side and actually relaxing. The bus remained in a tense and awkward silence until slowly chatter started to refill it. 

They arrived after another half hour, and still the talking remained quieter then before. 

Inside, the kids stared in awe at the variety of the place. It was huge with a space for everything. A shipwreck, mountainside, on fire buildings, even a hole-filled valley. 

Izuku could tell something wasn't right the second he stepped inside. Why hadn't Shigaraki mentioned this to them? Something was up. 

A strange, white suited woman wobbled over to the kids. Her helmet made it so no one could see through, only the glint of their own reflections. Izuku recognized her instantly. 

"Hey kids, I'm Thirteen!" 

Izuku didn't have time for this nonsense. His gut was churning and Izuku knew better then to ignore his instincts. 

"Aizawa-sensei, somethings not-,"

Before he could finish a portal opened up in the middle of the building, villains pouring out. Izuku and Katsuki backed up fearfully. 

"No-," Izuku's chest heaved with panic and fear and trembling overtook his body. 

"Everyone, to the bus! Now!" Aizawa ordered. "Thirteen, get the kids to safety!" Izuku could only watch in horror as Aizawa swung down right into the middle of the villains, hair up and eyes blazing. 

They couldn't focus on that before a new villain, Kurogiri, appeared in front of them, in all his misty radiance. 

"Stay away!" Thirteen yelled, throwing her arms out to try and block the villains view from the students. 

"Sorry, but I'm afraid that's simply not possible." Kurogiri threw his own arms out, sending a giant portal that swept up all the kids. 

Katsuki and Izuku reached out for each other at the same time, but it they had sunk into the darkness too quickly as they were just out of reach. 

It didn't matter because Izuku and Katsuki ended up being dropped off besides a giant boat, two suitcases and a letter waiting. 

Izuku hesitantly picked up the letter and Katsuki looked over his shoulder to read it. 

Get changed. Join the fight. 

Izuku angrily crumpled up the paper and tossed it to the side but reluctantly pulled out his outfit only to stare at it in horror. Katsuki dry heaved to the side at the sight of his own. 

Their vigilante outfits. How had Shigaraki found out? Izuku shook his head. Of course they'd found out. "Of fucking course."

Izuku pulled his outfit on and the shaking stopped, calmed by the familiarity. But he wasn't done yet. 

"I'm going to save them." 

Katsuki blinked. Once. Twice. "What?" 

Izuku's eyes narrowed determinedly. "I'm going to save them all." 

Katsuki wanted to argue. Wanted to scream and fight and beg him to just go along with it. To do anything to avoid punishment, to mindlessly obey. But the words felt disgusting on his tongue. He couldn't even spit them out so he did the only thing he could manage. He nodded. 

Izuku took the chance to take off towards the closest section- the sinking boat simulation. 

Katsuki went to follow but Izuku stopped him with a yell, "Go find the others! I'll handle this side!"

Katsuki sent a nod of his own before taking off in the opposite direction. He was ready to be a real hero.

**Author's Note:**

> There will actually eventually be two different versions of this story because I had different ideas and wanted to play them both out. Same thing just minor differences.


End file.
